Appliance for automatically indicating the amount of gasoline in automobile tanks



May 29, 1923. l v v ZABO V13156,-743 G. A. S APPLIANCE FOR AUTOMATICALLY INDICATING THE AMOUNT OF'GASOLINE IN AUTOMOBILE TANKS Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 26 1921 2 ouNT oF GASOLINE 1N May 29, 1923-.

G. A.S

ZABO APPLIANCE FOR AUTOMATICALL ATING THE AM AUTOMOBILE TANKS Filed Feb. 26

1921 2 'sheets-sheet 2 Y INDIC Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga ,andA State of Ohio1 have invented certainl new- Patented May 29, 1923.

UNITE a s GEORGE a. sanno, orcLnvnLaivn, omo.

APPLIANCE FOR AUTMATICALLY ,INDICATING 'Iiill AMOUNT 0F GASOLINEIN" v u i l AUTOMOBILE TANKS.1

Application' filed February 265 1921. Serial No. 448,235..

To all 'LU/7mm it may concern l l Be it known that l, GEORGE A.. Sz ano, a citizen of the United States, residing krat and useful Improvements in anAppliance for Automatically indicating .the Amount of Gasoline in Automobile Tanks, of which the'f'ollowing is a specification.

The general object of the invention is to provide a register or indicator oppositethe drivers seat of' an automobile, which will 4throughthe medium of compressedair or a fluid respond sensitively to the action of a Hout-operated compressoriin the supply tank f at Athe rear end or other point onwthe automobile to register the vamount of gasoline in the tank.

In the accompanying crawing, Fignl is a .side view of' an automobile embodyingmy improved appliance. Fig. 2 is a face view` of the indicator, and Fi`g.'3 a side view thereof. i Fig. 4 is a vertical section of one end of a gasoline tank and my'flo'at-opera'ted compressor therein. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on'anl enlarged scale of the indicator, and Figs. 6 to 14, inclusive, are perspective and sectionalviews of various indicator parts separated;` Fig. 15 is a cross section of thejindicator onlline .15-15 of Fig. f5. Fig. 16 is a front view of' the indicator with the cover and index plate and needle removed.

The apparatus comprises a compressor cylinder 2 having a detachable yoke 3 to which an operating arm 4 is adjustably pivoted. An elongated float 5 is removablyaffixed to the free end of the arm, and this float and compressor are removably suspended within a gasoline tank 6 having an offset 7 within its bottom side within which the float is adapted to retire when the gasoline in the tank is at its lowest level.` The compressor cylinder embodies an annular flange 3 at its upper end which is adapted to be removably seated within a collar 9 affixed to the upper side of tank 6, and a screw ring 10 is used to couple the parts together. The bottom end of cylinder 2 isV open and a rod 11 connects arm 4 by a ball joint with a'piston 12 which is under the constant pressure of a helical spring 13 seated within the upper end of the piston. The head of the cylinder extends above fla-nge 8 and has a screwthreaded projection 14centrally thereof and also an axial passage 15, which communicates lat the joints'.

with series oflateral ducts 16 opening into an annular channel V17 surrounding the round extension at the upper end ofthehead ofthe A cylinder. l projection 14 to enclose annular-.channel l7, and a nut 19 clamps this capin a sealed seating position upon the head and/also in an adjustable position rotarily in vrespect to fthe tank so that its threaded nipple 20 rat 'one' side thereof may be placed in any desiredl A flanged cap 18 is` sleevedover l y :60.

radial position and coupled by 'a nut 22'tof-i relatively small pipe 21 extending from tank 6 to they instrument board v23 at the front of the -drivers seatin the automobile.

. The opposite end of ypipe`21 is attached.. by @second coupling.'nut 24' to Athe threaded nipple 25l of a round flanged. cap V26'whichis sleeved over a screw-threadedprojectionj27` i at the base end of a cylindrical indicator :casing 28ghaving a ydished orl recessed head;y

29 at its frontend within which 'an indexing dial 30 is removably seatedopposite a glass plate 31 4which isheld inv place by ascrewv ring 32. A nut 33 engaged with projection 27 clamps'the cap 2G detachably `and adjustably rotarily upon thereduced rearv extremity of indicator body'28 and V'sealing Washers 34 are .interposed between' said ybody and cap Body 28 has a round chamber within `which apliinger .35 is'adapted to be. moved forwardly when float 5 rises and forces the air or Huid out of compressorinto i and through pipe 2]., and a coiled spring 36 confined between plunger 35 and an adjusti able ring nut 37 engaged with the interior screw threads at the front end of casing 28 shifts plunger 35 rearwardly whenfloat 5 descends and relieves the pressure within the compressor .and pipe. The` fiuid'is free to flow into and out of body 28 by way lof radial ducts 38 and annular channels 39 and 40' formed within the bodyv 28 and cap 26, respectively. l

Plunger 35. yhas a hollowreduced eXtension 41 at its front side which is loosely sleeved over a round cylindrical member 42 having lateral arms l43 'affixed by screws 44,.

within the front face or bottom of the dished head or flange`29 of body 28, and a rotatable Spindle 45 is rotatably mounted within -a longitudinal bore of extension 42upon short end trunnions 46 having bearing .within the inner end of the extension and within a cross piece 47 seated within the outer end of the bore and extending at right angles to arms turn more or less dependent upon the distance ot travel of the plunger, and the degree of rotation or oscillation im aarted to the spindle is indicated at the front ol index plate 2() by a needle 50, thereby apprising the driver oi the automobile at all times ot the amount of liquid contained within the tank, both during the operation ot the automobile or in illing the tank.

lWhat l claim is:

l.' An appliance for' automatically indicating the amount of liquid within a supply tank, comprising an indicator casing having a spring-pressed plunger therein, a cylindrical member aiiixed to said casing in sleeved connectionwith said plunger, a. spindle with a spiral groove rotatably mounted within said cylindrical member, means connected with said plunger operating within said spiral groove, an index member aiixed to said spindle, an index dial mounted upon said casing opposite said index member, a pipe connection adapted to convey a fluid behind said plunger.

2. An appliance for automatically indicating the amount of liquid within a supply tank, comprising an indicator casing having a plunger therein, a slotted cylindrical member having arms aiiixed to said casing opposite said plunger, a spirally-grooved spindle rotatably confined within said. cylindrical member, means extending through the slotted member operably connecting said spindle and plunger together, an index member affixed to said spindle, and a bearing piece for the spindle aiiixed at its ends to said casing opposite said slotted member.

3. An appliance for automatically indicating the amount of liquid within a supply tank, comprising a cylindrical casing having a reduced annular end provided with anV axial screw-threaded projection and radial iuid passages, a movable piston within said casing, a flanged cap adapted to encircle said reduced annular end and to sleeve over said projection having a screw -threaded nipple, a sealing washer interposed between said cap and casing, and a nut engaged with said projection in locking engagement with said cap.v i

4. An appliance for automatically indicating the amount of liquid within a supply tank, comprising an indicator casing, a plunger within said casing having a hollow eX- tension, a round slotted member within said extension having arms, means fixing said arms to said casing, a screw in said extension projecting int-o said slotted member, a spirally-grooved spindle within said member engaged by said screw having an indi-' cater, a cap member detachably and rotarily aiiixed to the rear end of said casing having a pipe-coupling nipple, and fluid passages within said casing and cap in open communication with said nipple and plunger.

Signed at Cleveland, in the county oi Cuyahoga, and State of 0hio,this 21st day of February, 1921.

enonen A. sZaBo. 

